The Stonemason by Cormac McCarthy Read Free Book Online Page B

EN It's your company too.
    B EN Well what's the trouble.
    B IG B EN I need six thousand dollars is what the trouble is.
    B EN Oh man.
    Ben looks down. He shakes his head slowly. He looks up at Big Ben again.
    B EN Six thousand?
    Big Ben looks at Ben. He swirls the coffee pot and sets it back down again.
    B EN Can't you get it from the bank?
    B IG B EN They say I cain't.
    B EN You've borrowed money from them before.
    B IG B EN They won't let me have no more.
    B EN What do you mean no more?
    B IG B EN Mean no more. Say they ain't goin let me have no more.
    He gets a cup down from the shelf. He swirls the pot and pours coffee into the cup.
    B EN How much do you owe them?
    B IG B EN Don't make no difference bout that. The facts is that I got to have six thousand dollars come next Wednesday.
    B EN What happens if you don't? What are they going to foreclose on?
    B IG B EN Ain't a matter of foreclosure.
    B EN Well why don't you explain it to me a step at a time.
    B IG B EN Only thing needs explainin is I got to have the money.
    B EN Why don't you tell me what it is you've done.
    B IG B EN ( angrily ) I ain't done a damn thing. I just need the money.
    B EN Well where do you think I'm going to get six thousand dollars?
    B IG B EN You can get it. They'd let you have it.
    B EN You're talking about me mortgaging the farm.
    Big Ben doesn't answer. He stands leaning against the stove.
    B EN It's not mine to mortgage.
    B IG B EN Whose is it if it ain't yours?
    B EN It's in a trust.
    B IG B EN You ain't goin to help me.
    B EN I'm not going to mortgage that property. I couldn't if I wanted to. Can't you borrow against the house?
    B IG B EN No.
    B EN Why not?
    B IG B EN I done borrowed against it.
    There is a silence in the room.
    B EN Are you going to lose the house?
    B IG B EN No.
    B EN You are, aren't you?
    B IG B EN ( Angrily ) I don't get some money I'm goin to lose everthing I got.
    Silence.
    B EN ( Quietly ) I'll go to the bank tomorrow. I'll see what they'll let me have on an unsecured note. They'll want Maven to co—sign though. And I don't think they're going to let me have any six thousand dollars. How much does Mama know about this?
    B IG B EN She don't need to know nothin.
    B EN Well, when they put her in the street she'll know. Her and her shoes. I always wondered why she had about forty pair of shoes. She's a provident woman.
    B IG B EN Well pile it all on my head. You and Pap both just walked off and left the company. Just walked off and left it.
    B EN I give you forty hours a week. Every week. Papaw worked on the job every day till he was ninety two years old. What do you want?
    Big Ben drains his cup and puts it in the sink and crosses to the chair and gets his hat and coat.
    B IG B EN Don't make no difference what I want. I ain't goin to get it. Not even in my own house. Under my own roof. Never could and never will.
    He exits the kitchen. His steps on the stairs.

SCENE V
    The kitchen, morning. Ben and Maven are sitting at the table. Maven is dressed for school. Mama is putting away cups and dishes out of the drain board. She finishes and comes to the table and picks up the morning paper.
    M AMA You done with this Benny?
    B EN Yes mam.
    She takes the paper and shuffles on toward the door.
    M AMA Take my bath.
    B EN Mama, do you read the paper in the bathtub?
    M AMA You don't need to be speculatin bout what I does in the bathtub.
    She goes out the door and up the stairs. Ben smiles. He looks at Maven. She smiles.
    B EN Aren't you going to be late?
    M AVEN No. Yes. Probably.
    She looks at her cup and she looks up at Ben. Ben raises his chin in a gesture that means Let's hear it.
    M AVEN I don't know. The basement's not far enough away any more.
    B EN I know.
    M AVEN I don't know what to say to Carlotta any more. I really don't.
    Ben purses his lips and nods.
    M AVEN Ben, how much money does your father owe you?
    He looks up at Maven.
    B EN I don't know. I'd have to look it up.
    M AVEN But you know more or less.
    B EN Yes. I